In support of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced awards totaling $52 million for a broad range of small businesses in 39 states. The projects will work to solve a wide range of problems—from cybersecurity for electric vehicle charging infrastructure to new ways to detect radiation threats and new ways to manufacture lithium metal for batteries.  

“Since Day One, the Biden-Harris Administration has supported small businesses, prompting record growth in the U.S. economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “With research and development grants awarded for small businesses in nearly every state, DOE continues to invest in an industrial strategy that leaves no community behind as we transition to a clean energy economy.” 

DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards strive to transform DOE-supported science and technology breakthroughs.     

Funded through the DOE’s SBIR and STTR programs, today’s selections are primarily for Phase I research and development, with a limited number of Fast-Track (combined Phase I & II awards). Small businesses that demonstrated technical feasibility for innovations during their Phase I grants will compete for funding for prototype or processes development during Phase II. The median Phase I award is $200,000 for a period of six to twelve months.  

A total of 229 projects will be funded by the following DOE Offices: Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response; Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation; Electricity; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Fossil Energy and Carbon Management; and Nuclear Energy. Of the new projects announced, 20 projects totaling $8M are funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.    

The DOE SBIR/STTR program ensures that the U.S. not only remains at the cutting edge in energy science and engineering but also enables those innovations to achieve commercial impact. As Justice40 covered programs, SBIR/STTR will also ensure that these impacts reach disadvantaged communities. From 2009-2018, previous grantees raised $8.6 billion in private-sector follow-on funding and reported over a thousand inventions and patent applications, evidence of their commitment to commercialization. 

Projects selected for award include:   

Advanced Grid Technologies, Lancaster, PA, Extending Distribution Transformer Lifetime and Reliability. Distribution transformers play a vital role in the nation’s electric grid but utility companies are experiencing an unprecedented shortage of new transformers compromising the nation’s ability to expand and maintain access to reliable electricity. This SBIR program will develop a cost-effective approach to extending the lifetime of currently deployed transformers improving the long- term reliability of the electric grid. 

Resonant Link, Inc., Shelburne, VT, Electric Transit Optimization through High-Power Wireless Charging.  Electrification is critical to advancing sustainable public transit and shared transportation solutions, however, adoption today is challenged by a lack of low-cost, efficient and reliable charging infrastructure. Resonant Link has developed industry leading high-performance wireless chargers that can be integrated into current and future transit systems. By optimizing the charging system as well as key vehicle modifications, Resonant Link will support the future of sustainable urban mobility. 

Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc., Frederick, MD, Low-Cost Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) from Perennial Feedstocks using Simultaneous Ball Milling and Enzyme Hydrolysis (STTR). This system would provide a low-cost biomass conversion system which would support the 2021 Government-Wide Sustainable Aviation Fuels Grand Challenge, which includes SAF production goals of 3 billion gallons by 2030 and 35 billion gallons by 2050, as well as provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Besides helping to meet these environmental targets, deployment of the system could reduce 2030 SAF costs by over $8 billion dollars. 

RookStack, LLC, Indianapolis, IN, Development of an Artificial Intelligence Solution for Residential Heating and Cooling Equipment Sizing to Reduce Equipment Oversizing. This proposal will use machine learning to create an Artificial Intelligence solution to accurately size residential heating and cooling equipment using readily available public real estate data. 

RhinoCorps, Albuquerque, NM, Framework for Modeling and Simulation of Security Systems in Nuclear Facilities.  The reduction of costs is a key element in making nuclear energy a viable source for the public. This SBIR will investigate new approaches and technologies to enhance physical protection and reduce the operational cost at advanced and small reactors. 

Nokomis, Inc., Charleroi, PA, In-Situ Cyber Threat and Tamper Monitoring for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure.  Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is rapidly increasing, but cybersecurity cannot be an afterthought as cyberattacks will have severe adverse consequences to individuals and societies. This proposal will develop the foundation of a hardware-based cyberthreat detection technology to secure this equipment from cyberthreats that target data, equipment functionality, or attempts to manipulate the stability of the power grid. 

For more information about DOE’s SBIR and STTR programs, visit the website at science.osti.gov/sbir. 

Information about the projects announced today is available at the following link: https:/science.osti.gov/sbir/awards/.